OLDFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL
Special Educational Needs Policy (Draft)
October 2014
Introduction
The policy emphasizes the school’s belief that all children are entitled to have opportunities to achieve
excellence and to be valued for their individual contributions to the school community.
We use our best endeavours to secure special educational provision for pupils for whom this is required, that
is ‘additional to and different from’ that provided within the differentiated curriculum to better respond to the
four areas of need identified in the new Code of Practice (September 2014).
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Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
Social, mental and emotional health
Sensory/physical
The SEN Aims of the School
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To ensure that all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum.
To ensure the identification of all pupils requiring SEND provision as early as possible in their school
career.
To use our best endeavours to secure special educational provision for pupils for whom this is
required, that is “additional to and different from” that provided within the differentiated curriculum,
to better respond to the four broad areas of need:
1) Communication and interaction
2) Cognition and learning
3) Social, mental and emotional health
4) Sensory/physical
To ensure that SEND pupils take as full a part as possible in all school activities.
To ensure that parent of SEND pupils are kept fully informed of their child’s progress of attainment.
To ensure that SEND pupils are involved, where practicable, in decisions affecting their future SEND
provision.
To ensure that SEND pupils are supported and challenged, to enable them to take their next steps in
education.
To work in cooperation and productive partnerships with the Local Educations Authority and other
agencies, to ensure there is a multi-professional approach to meeting the needs of all vulnerable
learners.
We recognise that many pupils will have special needs at some time during their school life. In implementing
this policy, we believe pupils will be helped to overcome their difficulties. At Oldfield every teacher is a teacher
of very child including those with SEND. Class teachers take their responsibility for supporting children with
SEND very seriously.
Staffing
The SEND team of the school from Autumn 2014 is:
Inclusion leader
Elizabeth Day
SEND Coordinator (SENCO)
Yvonne Nunes (undertaking the NASENCo award)
Child Wellbeing Leader
Alyson Rees
Chair Governor
Sarah Howe
Definition of Special Educational Needs
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special
educational provision to be made for him or her.
A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
(a)
has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
(b)
has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally
provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.
Code of Practice 2014
Children must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language
of their home is different from the language in which they will be taught.
1. IDENTIFYING SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
The purpose of identifying of identification is to work out what action the school needs to take, not to fit
a pupil into a category. At Oldfield we identify the needs of pupils by considering the needs of the whole
child which will not only include the special educational needs of the child.
We know when pupils need help if:
 Concerns are raised by parents/carers, external agencies, teachers, or the pupil’s previous school,
regarding a pupil’s level of progress or inclusion.
 Home visits of interviews at other schools.
 Questionnaires to parents and children.
 Screening, such as that completed on entry or as a result of a concern being raised, indicates gap
in knowledge and /or skills.
 Whole school tracking of attainment outcomes indicates lack of expected level of progress.
 Half termly Pupil Progress Meetings
 Analysis of behaviour logs.
 Analysis of welfare logs.
 Pastoral file.
 Observation of the pupil indicates that they have additional needs in one or more of the four
broad areas of need:
1)
Communication and interaction
2)
Cognition and learning
3)
Social, mental and emotional health
4)
Sensory/physical
The following is NOT SEN but may impact on progress and attainment:
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Disability (the Cod of Practice outlines the “reasonable adjustment” duty for all settings and
schools provided under current Disability Equality legislations – these alone to do not constitute
SEND)
Attendance and Punctuality
Health and Welfare
EAL
Being in receipt of Pupil Premium Grant
Being a Looked After Child
Being a child of Serviceman/woman
Core Group
Needs met by
differentiation
The teacher plans for the activities to be given to the pupils at the appropriate level of
need for success and progress to be achieved. If a child is below age related expectations
at half termly pupil progress meeting then they become ‘Monitoring Group’.
Monitoring
Group
Those that are under achieving but will make progress with some provision in/out class.
They are entered on to the Analysis Sheet. If the child still makes no progress then the
child becomes ‘SEN Support’ and is added to the DSEN list. If the need is different from
academic, then a Cause for Concern Referral Form is completed and given to the SENCO.
Where teachers decide that a pupil’s learning is unsatisfactory, the SENCO is the first to
be consulted. The SENCO and class teacher will review the approaches adopted.
SEN Support
Where support additional to that of normal class provision is required, it will be provided
through SEN Support.
A provision map completed and or an IEP may be written. An outside agency might also
be consulted and will support the school in allocating resources.
Where concerns remain despite sustained intervention, the school will consider
requesting an Education Health and Care Plan.
Education
Health and
Care Plan
(EHC)
For a very small percentage of pupils, whose needs are significant and complex and the
SEN support required to meet their needs cannot reasonably be provided from within
the school’s own resources, a request will be made to the local authority to conduct an
assessment of education, health and care needs. This may result in an EHC plan being
provided.
Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development for the pupils in their class,
including where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff. Additional intervention
and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching.
Parents will be fully consulted at each stage. The school also recognises that parents have a right to request
an Education Health and Care Plan.
Curriculum Differentiation
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Through appropriate curricular provision, we respect the fact that children:
1) have different educational and behavioural needs and aspirations.
2) require different strategies for learning acquire, assimilate and communicate information at
different rates.
3) need a range of different teaching approaches and experiences.
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Teachers respond to children’s needs by:
1) providing support for children who need help with communication, language and literacy.
2) planning to develop children’s understanding through the use of all available senses and
experiences.
3) planning for children’s full participation in learning, and in physical and practical activities.
4) helping children to manage and own their behaviour and to take part in learning effectively
and safely.
5) helping individuals to manage their emotions, particularly trauma or stress, and to take part
in learning.
SEN Support
The triggers for intervention through SEN Support could be the teacher’s or others’ concerns, underpinned
by evidence, about a pupil who despite receiving differentiated learning opportunities:
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Makes little or no progress even when teaching approaches are targeted particularly in a pupil’s
identified area of weakness;
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Shows signs of difficulty in developing literacy or mathematical skills which result in poor
attainment in some curriculum areas;
Has emotional/behavioural problems that often substantially impede own learning or that of the
group which are not alleviated by the behaviour management techniques usually employed in
the school;
Have sensory or physical needs, in some cases requiring additional specialist equipment or
visits/advice from specialists.
Has communication and/or interaction difficulties that impedes the development of social
relationships and cause substantial barriers to learning.
Sometimes the Educational Psychologist and any other assessing professionals should be
involved in considering. They should be provided with up to date information about the pupil,
including all previous interventions this must be provided in the form of IEPs/Provision Map.
Other external support services, both those provided by the LEA and by outside agencies will
usually see the child in school if that is appropriate and practicable, so that they can advise
teachers on Provision Map/ IEP targets and accompanying strategies.
Has an emotional or behavioural difficulty, which substantially and regularly interferes with the
child’s own learning or that of the class group, despite having an individualised behaviour
management programme.
Progression to Statutory Assessment
If after advice from the EP or other professionals, the school and Parents consider that help is needed from
outside the school’s resources the SENCO completes the form requesting an Education Health and Care
Plan by the Authority.
Papers are forwarded to the Case Officer for the school, who with the Panel will decide whether to proceed
with the Education Health and Care Plan. The LEA will be given information about the child’s progress over
time, and will also receive documentation in relation to the child’s special educational needs and any other
action taken to deal with those needs, including any resources or special arrangements put in place.
The evidence will include:
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Previous individual education plans and targets for the pupil.
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Views of the parents.
Records of regular reviews and their outcomes.
Records of the child’s health and medical history where appropriate.
National Curriculum attainment levels in literacy and numeracy.
Education and other assessments, for example from an advisory specialist support teacher or
educational psychologist.
Should the Panel decide against Education Health and Care Plan it is then up to the school to look again at
provision for the child and to formulate new strategies and IEPs.
If the Panel agrees to proceed with Educational Health and Care Plan the SENCO and parents prepares
further documentation about the child, which is sent to the Special Needs Section where, in consideration
with similar documents from other involved professionals, Educational Health and Care Plan of Special
Educational Needs is completed.
The class teacher, in conjunction with the SENCO is then responsible for drawing up an IEP to meet the
objectives set out in the Education Health and Care Plan
The Educational Health and Care Plan must be formally reviewed at least annually. The Annual Review is
chaired by the SENCO.
2. A Graduated Approach to SEN Support
Progress is the crucial factor in determining the need for additional support. Adequate progress is that
which:
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Narrows the attainment gap between pupil and peers
Prevents the attainment gap widening
Is equivalent to that of peers starting from the same baseline but less than the majority of peers
Equals or improves upon the pupil’s previous rate of progress
Ensures full curricular access
Shows an improvement in self-help and social or personal skills
Shows improvements in the pupil’s behaviour
Support for DSEN pupils at Oldfield
 Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in
their class, including where pupils access support from teaching assistants and specialist staff.
 Pupils with a disability will be provided with reasonable adjustments (such as auxiliary aids and
services) to overcome any disadvantage experienced in school and increase their access to the
taught curriculum
 The quality of classroom teaching provided to pupils with SEND is monitored through a number
of processes that include:
 Classroom observation by the senior management team
 Ongoing assessment of progress made by pupils with SEND
 Work sampling and scrutiny of planning to ensure effective matching of work to pupil need
 Teacher meetings with the SENCo to provide advice and guidance on meeting the needs of pupils
with SEND
 Attendance and behaviour records
 All pupils have individual national curriculum targets set in line with national outcomes to ensure
ambition
 Pupils’ attainments are tracked using the whole school tracking system and those failing to make
expected levels of progress are identified very quickly. These pupils are then discussed in termly
progress meetings that are undertaken by the the year team teachers.
 Additional action to increase the rate of progress will then be identified and recorded. This will
include a review of the impact of the differentiated teaching being provided to the child, and if
required, provision to the teacher of additional strategies to further support the success of the
pupil
 Where it is decided, during this early discussion, that special educational provision is required to
support increased rates, parents will be informed that the school considers their child may
require SEN support and their partnership sought in order to improve attainments.
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Assess: Data on the pupil held by the school will be collated by the class teacher in order
to make an accurate assessment of the pupil’s needs
Plan: if review of the action taken indicates that “additional to and different from”
support will be required, appropriate interventions will be identified, recorded and
implemented by the class teacher, with advice from SENCo.
Do: SEND support will be recorded on a plan that will identify expected outcomes.
Parents and the pupil will also be consulted on the action they can take to support
attainment of the desired outcomes. This will be recorded and a date made for reviewing
attainment.
Review: progress towards these outcomes will be tracked and reviewed termly with the
parents and the pupil. If progress rates are still judged to be inadequate despite the
delivery of high quality interventions, advice may be sought from external agencies
regarding strategies to best meet the specific needs of a pupil. This will only be
undertaken after parental permission has been obtained and may include referral to:
a.
Specialists in other schools eg Special Schools
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c.
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h.
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k.
l.
m.
n.
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p.
q.
Primary Behaviour Centre
Educational Psychologist
Place2Be
Ealing Special Educational Needs Support Service
Educational Psychology Service
Educational Social Worker
Occupational Therapy
Speech and Language Therapy
Child Development Team (CDT)
Neuro-developmental Service (NDS)
Social Care
Supportive Action for Families in Ealing (SAFE)
School Nurse
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
Hearing impairment services
Visual impairment services
IEPs/Provision Map
Strategies employed to enable the child to progress will be recorded within an Individual education plan
which will include information about:
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The short term targets set for the child.
The teaching strategies to be used.
The provision to be put in place.
How the targets will help the child in their learning
What they are responsible for
How the child can be successful
The review date.
Mid-point review sheets are stored on the school system and updated regularly by teachers and
teaching assistants
The child’s views will be sought and taken into account, as will those of the parents, whose
support is vital if progress is to be achieved and maintained.
Allocation of resources
The SENCO is responsible for the operational management of the specified and agreed resourcing for
special needs provision within the school, including the provision for children with statements of special
educational needs and Education Health and Care plans. The Headteacher informs the governing body of
how the funding allocated to support special educational needs has been employed. The Headteacher and
the SENCO meet annually to agree on how to use funds directly related to statements.
Record Keeping
The school will record the steps taken to meet pupils’ individual needs. The SENCO will maintain the
records and ensure access to them. In addition to the usual school records, the pupil’s profile will include:
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Information from parents
Information on progress and behaviour
Pupil’s own perceptions of difficulties
Information from health/social services
Information from other agencies
3. Criteria for exiting the SEN Register
SEND pupils who are making expected levels of progress will be monitored for a further half term before
the SENCO and class teacher decided to remove the pupil from the SEND register. Parents will also be
consulted and informed. Once a child has been removed from the SEND register his/her progress will still
be monitored to ensure he/she is continuing to make progress.
4. SUPPORTING PUPILS AND FAMILIES
Overall Wellbeing Support for children. The school offers a wide variety of pastoral support for pupils.
these include:
 The Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PHSE) curriculum that aims to provide pupils with the
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knowledge, understanding and skills they need to enhance their emotional and social knowledge
and well-being.
We have a fulltime Child Well Being Leader.
The school is part of the Ealing Place2Be hub and has a School Project Manager for three days a
week who organises one-to-one counsellors to work with individual children. Place2Be also
organises the Place2Talk.
If parents have concerns relating to their child’s learning then please initially discuss these with your
child’s class teacher. Depending on the nature of the concern, this may result in:
 the child’s progress being monitored for an agreed period.
 the class teacher consulting with Mrs Nunes - SENCO for support, advice, referral or
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interventions.
parents may also contact the SENCO directly if they feel this is more appropriate.
all parents will be listened to. Their views and aspirations for their child will be central to the
assessment and provision that is provided by the school.
Communication with parents on pupils progress:
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Attainments towards the identified outcomes will be shared with parents termly through
feedback at parents’ evenings.
If parents are concerned between meetings they are encouraged to arrange an appointment to
discuss their child’s progress with The Class Teacher, SENCO or a member of the Senior
Leadership Team (SLT). Please contact the school office who will arrange this appointment. The
contact number is (020) 8578 2507.
Parental support at Oldfield:
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Please look at the school website. It can be found at http://www.oldfieldprimary.org/
The Class Teacher or SENCO may also suggest ways of supporting your child’s learning.
The school organises a number of parent workshops during the school year. Letters about these
are sent home to the relevant year groups.
If you have ideas on support you would like to access, in order to further support your child’s
learning, please contact SENCO who will endeavour to locate information and guidance for you
in this area.
Support services for parents of pupils with SEN include:
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Parent Partnership Services (PPS) offer independent advice and support to parents/carers of all
children and young people with SEND. The nearest PPS can be located via
http://www.parentpartnership.org.uk.
The PPS will also provide information on how to access an Independent Supporter for those
parents/carers whose children are being assessed for an EHCP. Independent Supporters aim to
provide guidance to parents/carers regarding the EHCP process
5. SUPPORTING PUPILS AT SCHOOL WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS
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Pupils with medical needs will be provided with a health care plan.
Staff who volunteer to administer and supervise medications, will have completed formal
training
All medicine administration procedures adhere to the Local Authority (LA) policy and
Department for Education (DfE) guidelines included within Supporting pupils at school with
medical conditions (DfE) 2014 and identified in the school policy.
6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF SEND
The SENCO monitors the movement of children within the SEN system in school and provides staff and
governors with regular summaries of the impact of the policy on the practice of the school. They are
involved in supporting teachers and in drawing up Individual Education Plans for children. The SENCO and
the head teacher hold regular meetings to review the work of the school in this area. In addition the SENCO
and the named governor with responsibility for special needs also hold regular meetings.
7. TRAINING AND RESOURCES
In the last two years school staff have receive a range of training including:
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Supporting pupils with a specific learning difficulty
Supporting pupils on the autistic spectrum
Supporting pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties
The SENCO attends half-termly SENCO meetings to keep up to date with changes in Special
Needs
The services of an NHS Speech and Language Therapist are bought in by the school and she visits
regularly to assess and support targeted pupils
8. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The role of the SENCO:
The SENCO plays a crucial role in the school’s SEN provision. This involves working with the headteacher
and Governing Body to determine the strategic development of the policy. Other responsibilities include:
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Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the policy
Co-ordinating the provision for pupils with SEN
Liaising with and giving advice to fellow teachers
Managing Learning Support Assistants
Overseeing pupils’ records
Liaising with the parents
Making a contribution to INSET
Liaising with external agencies, LEA support services, Health and Social Services and voluntary
bodies.
For effective co-ordination staff must be aware of:
The roles of the participants
The procedures to be followed
The responsibility all teachers have in making provision for SEN pupils
The commitment required by staff to keep the SENCO well informed about pupils’ progress
Mechanisms that exist to allow teachers access to information about SEN pupils
What exactly constitutes a ‘level of concern’ and at which point School Action is initiated
Mechanisms that exist to alert the SENCO to such ‘levels of concern’
The procedure by which parents are informed of this concern and the subsequent SEN provision
Additionally, parents must be given clear guidance to the means by which they can contribute to
coordination, and how they can provide additional information when and if required.
The role of the Governing Body:
The Governing Body’s responsibilities to pupils with DSEN include:
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Ensuring that provision of a high standard is made for DSEN pupils
Ensuring that a ‘responsible person’ is identified to inform about the EHC plan all those involved
with
teaching and supporting EHC pupils.
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Ensuring that DSEN pupils are fully involved in school activities
Having regard to the Code of Practice when carrying out these responsibilities
Being fully involved in developing and subsequently reviewing SEN policy
Reporting to parents on the school’s SEN Policy including the allocation of resources from the
school’s
The roll of the class teacher:
The Code of Practice clearly acknowledges the importance allocated to the teacher, whose responsibilities
include:
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Being aware of the school’s procedures for the identification and assessment of, and
subsequent provision for, DSEN pupils
Every teacher is a teacher of every child including those with SEN
Collaborating with the SENCO to decide the action required to assist the pupil to progress
Working with the SENCO to collect all available information on the pupil
In collaboration with the SENCO, develop targets for SEN pupils. The extent of the SENCO’s
involvement is at the discretion of the school.
Working with SEN pupils on a daily basis to deliver the individual programme detailed on the
provision map
Developing constructive relationships with parents
Being involved in the development of the school’s SEN policy
The role of the Headteacher:
The Headteacher’s responsibilities include:
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The day-to-day management of all aspects of the school including the SEN provision
Keeping the Governing Body well informed about SEN within the school
Working closely with the SENCO/SEN team
Informing parents of the fact that SEN provision has been made for their child
Ensuring that the school has clear and flexible strategies for working with parents, and that
these strategies encourage involvement in their child’s education
9. REVIEWING THE POLICY
The reviewing, monitoring and evaluating of the SEN policy will be a continuous process. Mrs Nunes and
Mrs Day will discuss any changes necessary through their weekly meetings. Other members of staff are
kept informed of any changes through the weekly staff briefing memos from Mrs Nunes. Parents are kept
informed through the IEP review process. The success of the policy can be judged through feedback from
Ofsted, parents, teachers, other professionals and most importantly the children.
10. TRANSITION ARRANGEMENTS
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All children, including those with an identified special need will have a visit from either the
nursery or reception staff at home, before starting nursery or reception
Mrs Nunes, SENCO, might also go on the home visit with the prior consent of parents, if this is
deemed necessary.
All children, whenever possible, have a chance to meet their new teacher for September
before the end of the previous summer term
At the end of Year Six, the Year Six staff and Mrs Nunes liaise with local high schools to ensure
a smooth transition for those pupils transferring to Year Seven.
Mrs Nunes will be in contact with the SENCOs from high schools who will be taking Oldfield
children into Year Seven. This would be to share information about children on the SEN
register.
Children with a EHC plan will have their final KS2 review in the summer term of Year Five to
enable a smooth transition process to high school. Mrs Nunes and Mrs Day would be involved
in the process along with the parents, educational psychologist and other relevant
professionals.
11. DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS
If a parent has a question or concern about special needs provision they should first bring it to the
attention of Mrs Nunes, SENCO. If, following this, they still have concerns they should speak to Mrs Day,
the Headteacher, who is always happy to discuss issues of concern. If the parent wishes to take the
concern further, details of the procedures can be obtained from the Head, clerk to the governing body or
Information on where the Local Authority’s Local Offer can be found: www.ealing.gov.uk/send.
Yvonne Nunes
SENCO
October 2014
To be reviewed: September 2015